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Saturday, March 2, 2013

After these things Jesus walked in Galilee; for He did not want to walk in Judea, because the Jews sought to kill Him. Now the Jews' Feast of Tabernacles was at hand. His brothers therefore said to Him, "Depart from here and go into Judea, that Your disciples also may see the works that You are doing. For no one does anything in secret while he himself seeks to be known openly. If You do these things, show Yourself to the world." For even His brothers did not believe in Him. Then Jesus said to them, "My time has not yet come, but your time is always ready. The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me because I testify of it that its works are evil. You go up to this feast. I am not yet going up to this feast, for My time has not yet fully come." When He had said these things to them, He remained in Galilee.

But when His brothers had gone up, then He also went up to the feast, not openly, but as it were in secret. Then the Jews sought Him at the feast, and said, "Where is He?" And there was much complaining among the people concerning Him. Some said, "He is good"; others said, "No, on the contrary, He deceives the people." However, no one spoke openly of Him for fear of the Jews.

- John 7:1-13

In yesterday's reading, Jesus continued His discourse to the leadership, when they accused Him of breaking the Sabbath in healing the paralytic by the Sheep's Gate (see Rise, take up your bed and walk). He then began to teach about His identity as Son in Thursday's reading ("Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of God; and those who hear will live"). In yesterday's reading, Jesus made His defense, offering several witnesses to His identity. He continued, "I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is
righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father
who sent Me. If I bear witness of Myself, My witness is not true.
There is another who bears witness of Me, and I know that the witness
which He witnesses of Me is true. You have sent to John, and he has
borne witness to the truth. Yet I do not receive testimony from man,
but I say these things that you may be saved. He was the burning and
shining lamp, and you were willing for a time to rejoice in his light.
But I have a greater witness than John's; for the works which the Father
has given Me to finish -- the very works that I do -- bear witness of
Me, that the Father has sent Me. And the Father Himself, who sent Me,
has testified of me. You have neither heard His voice at any time, nor
seen His form. But you do not have His word abiding in you, because
whom He sent, Him you do not believe. You search the Scriptures, for in
them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify
of Me. But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life. I
do not receive honor from men. But I know you, that you do not have
the love of God in you. I have come in My Father's name, and you do not
receive Me; if another comes in his own name, him you will receive.
How can you believe, who receive honor from one another, and do not seek the honor that comes from the only God? Do not think that I shall
accuse you to the Father; there is one who accuses you -- Moses, in whom
you trust. For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he
wrote about Me. But if you do not believe his writings, how will you
believe My words?"

In today's reading, we skip over chapter 6 of John's Gospel, in which Jesus speaks of Himself as the Bread of Life. The lectionary will return to chapter 6 the week after next, and today we begin reading chapter 7.

After these things Jesus walked in Galilee; for He did not want to walk in Judea, because the Jews sought to kill Him. My study bible has a note which prepares us for the events of the next few chapters in John: "This section (chs. 7-9) tells of Jesus' visit to Jerusalem for the Feast of Tabernacles. At this festival, during the last year of His earthly life, Jesus taught in the temple and attracted a great deal of public attention. Some thought Him mad, others believed Him to be the Messiah, and still others (Sadducees and Pharisees who were members of the Sanhedrin) considered Him a threat to the religious and political status quo. The Jews, that is, the Jewish leaders, sought to kill Him." Remaining in Galilee, far from the central leadership of the temple in Jerusalem, was a way to avoid persecution before "His time" - the time of His Passion and crucifixion.

Now the Jews' Feast of Tabernacles was at hand. My study bible tells us: "The Feast of Tabernacles (Heb. succoth) is an eight-day autumn harvest festival commemorating the wanderings of ancient Israel in the wilderness of Sinai, a time when the chosen people lived in tents (or 'tabernacles'). Along with Passover and Pentecost, Tabernacles was one of the three most important festivals of the ancient Jews."

His brothers therefore said to Him, "Depart from here and go into
Judea, that Your disciples also may see the works that You are doing.
For no one does anything in secret while he himself seeks to be known
openly. If You do these things, show Yourself to the world." For even
His brothers did not believe in Him. My study bible says that "His brothers are members of His wider family clan who themselves do not believe in Him. The Eastern Fathers understood 'brothers' as stepbrothers, sons of Joseph by a previous wife; while the Western Fathers understood them to be first or second cousins. Never are they called sons of Mary." Today throughout the Middle East, it remains customary to refer to cousins and other extended family as "brothers." But there is a deeper context to the ways in which Jesus' family members challenge Him here. In chapter 6, which we'll read after the lectionary returns to it later on, even many of His disciples fall away because of a "difficult saying" He gives them. So this doubting is not only in the context of the falling away of many disciples, but also we remember that John's Gospel has already mentioned that Jesus testified that a prophet has no honor in his own country.

Then Jesus said to them, "My time has not yet come, but your time is
always ready. The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me because I
testify of it that its works are evil. You go up to this feast. I am
not yet going up to this feast, for My time has not yet fully come."
When He had said these things to them, He remained in Galilee. Jesus speaks very boldly to His "brothers" - and it's important that we understand Him. In the previous reading of the lectionary, He linked all things with faith, our capacity to hear truth depending on what we love and put first in our hearts. Most especially He contrasted the love of the honor that comes from God with the honor that comes from men. In the taunting of the "brothers" that tells Jesus to prove Himself ("show Yourself to the world"), we can hear the reflection of belief in the honor that comes from men. Jesus will follow the will of the Father; His time has not yet fully come.

But when His brothers had gone up, then He also went up to the feast, not openly, but as it were in secret. My study bible tells us that "not openly" means not publicly, as in the case of the Triumphal Entry, His final entrance into Jerusalem when He is welcomed as Messiah, which we commemorate on Palm Sunday.

Then the Jews sought Him at the feast, and said, "Where is He?" And
there was much complaining among the people concerning Him. Some said,
"He is good"; others said, "No, on the contrary, He deceives the
people." However, no one spoke openly of Him for fear of the Jews. So the scene is set for us, the "energy" of the moment is clear. There is great turmoil here: He's sought by the leadership, but the people are mixed in their opinions. Some think He is good; others believe He's a deceiver -- but everyone speaks secretly among themselves because they fear the leadership.

At this point in Jesus' ministry, things are beginning to come to a head: the authorities seek Him to put Him to death, the people's opinions are mixed -- and all is in an atmosphere of fear and urgency and secrecy. It's not just Jesus who conceals Himself from the leadership until it is time for open confrontation (and for His Passion), but the people also fear them and will not talk openly. His brothers taunt Him to show Himself openly, to "show Himself to the world." Many of His disciples have fallen away because of a difficult teaching - a "hard saying" they cannot understand. So we get a feel for what is happening, and the pressures under which He's now operating. And yet, He does not miss the feast. Indeed, He will teach in the temple. But what we most observe right now about Jesus is the way in which He uses all situations, in the midst of great tumult and difficulties, doubting, taunting, disbelief, and persecution -- He will use all of this situation in His own way. Every step is plotted by the Father. It does not cater to the whims and fears of other people, but is measured in terms of what is necessary for His ministry. Going openly to the festival without the preparation for the Triumphal Entry would be improper; it's not "His hour" for this, that time has not yet fully come. But going and teaching is an important step, while everyone seeks Him for their own purposes. Jesus will measure each situation, no matter how complex and how full of pressure, by what is necessary for God's will, for the fulfillment of His ministry as He must fulfill it. And I think in that we can see a way to negotiate our own lives. Putting our assorted pressures and duties in front of God in prayer is one way to do that. It is a way not only to detach from our immediate circumstances and the demands we may feel are placed on us, but it is also a way to invite discernment, God's perspective for where we are and what we need to do in our lives. It is, in a sense, putting perspective on the right priorities. What we really need and what is best may not be clear at all when we're mixed in the swirl of the demands of the "world" and the honor that comes from men. Sometimes we have to forgo what everyone else will tell us is right in order to be truly "right"; that is, right-related to the world in a heart that's right with God. So take time, take a breath, put it into prayer, and let it go. Let us remember the pressures on Jesus, and what He has to teach us about love and priorities. Let us remember the Paraclete who is by our side when we call, and that to send us this Helper what His ministry was for.

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